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NEWS RELEASE

Released: April 11, 2014

Defense Health Program
Department of Defense Gulf War Illness Research Program
Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14)

The Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) Defense Appropriations Act provides $20 million (M) to the Department of Defense Gulf War Illness Research Program (GWIRP) to support innovative, high-impact research to improve the health and lives of veterans who have Gulf War Illness (GWI). The GWIRP is administered by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) through the Office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The GWIRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications. FY14 GWIRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on Grants.gov in early May 2014. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Award Mechanism Principal Investigator (PI) Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
New Investigator Award (NEW!) Transitioning Postdoctoral Fellows
  • Current senior postdoctoral fellows who have completed at least 3 years of postdoctoral training.
Early-Career Investigators
  • Independent investigators who are within 5 years of their last training position.
New GWI Researchers
  • Established independent investigators who have received less than $300,000 in federally-funded, non-mentored funding for GWI research.
  • Supports investigators new to the field of GWI research at different stages of career development.
  • Preliminary or published data that is relevant to GWI and the proposed project are required.
  • Previous experience in GWI research is allowed, but not required. However, PIs with a limited background in GWI research are strongly encouraged to have a collaborator who is experienced in the GWI research field.
  • Maximum funding of $500,000 for direct costs.
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years.
  • Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution's rate agreement.
Clinical Trial Award Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent).
  • Supports Phase II or III clinical trials focusing on treatment for GWI.
  • Can be used for comparative research of GWI treatments and multi-center clinical trials comparing treatments.
  • Preliminary/preclinical data are required, indicating potential significant benefit for veterans with GWI.
  • Multiple PI Option: Allows up to four PIs who will work synergistically on a single project to evaluate new treatment(s) for GWI; multi-center clinical trials are encouraged.
  • Maximum funding of $1.5 million for direct costs.
  • Multiple PI Option allows up to 3 Partnering PIs with individual awards up to $1.0 million each for direct costs.
  • Period of performance not to exceed 4 years.
  • Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution's rate agreement.
Innovative Treatment Evaluation Award Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent).
  • Supports small-scale, early clinical trial evaluations of innovative treatments not previously studied in GWI.
  • Pilot Phase II or Phase I/II clinical trial combinations are allowed.
  • Provides opportunity to obtain proof of principle data to support future clinical trials.
  • Preliminary data are not required, and if provided, do not necessarily have to come from the GWI research field.
  • Maximum funding of $450,000 for direct costs.
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years.
  • Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution's rate agreement.
Investigator-Initiated Research Award Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent).
  • Supports new ideas in basic and clinical development research focusing on GWI.
  • Preliminary data are not required, and if provided, do not necessarily have to come from the GWI research field.
  • Studies that provide outcomes clearly translatable to clinical use are encouraged.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed under this award mechanism.
  • Case Definition Option: Research focused on the development of a consensus case definition of GWI is strongly encouraged. Applications submitted under the Case Definition Option will be reviewed and considered for funding separately from other applications.
  • Maximum funding of $700,000 for direct costs.
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years.
  • Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution's rate agreement.

All applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and General Application Instructions that will be available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website. The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov. A listing of all USAMRMC funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.

Applications must be submitted through the federal government's single-entry portal, Grants.gov. Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcements are released. Requests for email notification of the Program Announcements release may be sent to help@eBRAP.org. For more information about the GWIRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.health.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-9783
usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil